


No More Pretending

by ConfessedGeek



Category: Moulin Rouge! (2001)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-15
Updated: 2017-09-15
Packaged: 2018-12-30 06:12:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12102492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ConfessedGeek/pseuds/ConfessedGeek
Summary: The show is over now.





	No More Pretending

 

This is it.

She knows it even as she pleads to every God she has ever heard of, _‘Please, not now. Please – not when we have each other.’_ But with her chest aching as she gasps for air and Christian’s face filling with panic as he holds her in his arms -she realizes the truth.

She is a creature of the Underworld, the Gods stopped caring about her prayers a long time ago.

“Satine? What’s the matter?”

She had never needed Gods – and she needed them even less when an angel with storm eyes wandered into her realm by chance from the sweetest part of Heaven.

“Somebody get some _help!”_

But he _did_ , and she cannot understand why they would forsake their most wondrous creation. Would make him watch her die just when it seemed all was going to be all right. _‘Ooh my Christian,’_ She thinks as she stares at his face, beautiful even with fear written upon it. _‘_ _I’m so sorry.’_

Somehow, she finds the strength to gasp out the words – to tell him the truth, because what is the point of pretending now? He hushes her gently, grip tightening around her waist to pull her closer even as he shakes his head in denial. “You’ll be all right. You’ll be all right. _You’ll be all right.”_

Seeing him like this hurts worse than her tightening chest, worse than when she had told him that she had chosen the Duke and for a moment she gasps out for him to “go” because they both cannot take this. Not after everything.

But the moment is gone as he stares down at her, the warmth of his arms and eyes a welcome contrast to the chill growing in her chest. She _can’t_ have him leave, not after everything.

She’s not sure if it’s selfish or selfless to tell him to hold her. Not sure if it’s right to bask in his embrace while his tears fall upon her skin, strangely warm.

But he grips her tight, breathes her in, and she does not care.

“I love you.” He breathes, meeting her gaze as he always has when saying those words.

She smiles, stunned how happy those words from him can make her feel even now. But... “You’ve got to go on, Christian.” She won’t have her angel unhappy for the rest of his life – especially not when he has the wings to fly away from this place as she always dreamed. “You’ve got so much to give.”

He shakes his head, lets out heavy breaths. He’s still in denial, she knows, as she traces his features – wipes the tears from his face – still avoiding the terrible truth even as it stares him in the face.

God, how she _loves_ him.

“Tell our story, Christian.” She breathes, because she wants the world to know – to read it written in his glorious words that she (Sparkling Diamond, Courtesan – _Satine)_ _loves_ the stunning penniless writer with his kind heart and lovely smile. She wants them to remember for fifty years and more, wants it to _haunt_ everyone who tried to tell them it wasn’t real.

No more pretending; no more lies.

She sees his fragile hope crumble – feels his heart pounding between both their chests as his face scrunches up in an an effort to not break into sobs. _“No.”_

“ _Yes.”_ She gasps, the word dying off as her breath stutters. “Promise me. Promise me.” There’s no nod. No vocal confirmation. But his eyes meet hers again and hold even as his lip quivers. She smiles: “I will – I’ll _always_ be with you.” She feels herself slipping away as he kisses her, wet and sweet and desperate – the feel of him and the audience’s defending applause the only thing clear now as everything else seems to fade.

Soon, there is only him and his tears, glistening almost like stars in his gorgeous eyes.

‘ _My penniless writer, my angel...my Christian. I’ll be waiting.’_

The show is over now, but the story _–_ _their story –_ will never be forgotten.

**Author's Note:**

> Saw movie for the first time this past weekend, and it fucking wrecked me. But it's fine, because I got to hear Ewan's amazing voice.


End file.
